New Glider Popularizes Sport (Dec, 1931)

New Glider Popularizes Sport

A DAY of gliders for every one is heralded in the introduction of a new low cost glider by Hans Richter, famous German air man. The new model which he has just designed and tested can be sold for less than fifty dollars and is light enough to be carried easily. No fuselage is used; instead the flier is merely strapped into the framework as shown in the photo below. Unfortunately, this type is barred in this country by the Dept. of Commerce at the present time.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was formed in 1926 as part of the Department of Commerce, hence the reference.

Eamon says: June 5, 20089:55 pm

Hua. I guess I never thought about what dept. the FAA would fall under. Thanks.

Blurgle says: June 6, 200810:58 am

It wasn’t called the FAA back then: it was just called the Aeronautics Branch, and aircraft accident reports of the day are listed under the Department of Commerce (which has confused more than a few students). The FAA went through numerous name changes and didn’t get its current name until 1967, when accident investigation was split off into the NTSB.

I suspect the reason it was founded under commerce was because of commercial aviation. I’m surprised J. Edgar Hoover didn’t try to appropriate the investigation of air accidents, especially after the 1933 Chesterton air bombing.

KHarn says: June 8, 20086:51 am

It looks hardly more advanced that those used by Lilienthal and Chanute in the 1890s! A diffrent German design became more popular as it let the pilot sit down and use a stick comtrol. The design was license-built in England also.